This invention relates to drug and body treating compositions and is particularly concerned with a process for interrupting pregnancy by administration of a p-sulfonamidoaminopropiophenone interceptive agent after implanation of the fertilized ovum.
At the present time, there are a number of available oral contraceptives containing estrogenic and progestational steroids that inhibit pregnancy by preventing ovulation if administered on an almost daily regimen. But, after fertilization and implantation of the ovum, there is presently little, short of mechanical (vacuum aspiration) or surgical abortion, that can be done to prevent delivery of viable offspring. Thus, there remains a large unmet need for a safe medication which requires infrequent or at the most only short periods of treatment to induce elimination of unwanted embryos. For the purpose of this disclosure, agents that interrupt pregnancy after implanation of the fertilized ovum are called "interceptives", as opposed to the term "contraceptives" which applies to agents that prevent pregnancy by inhibiting conception; refer to R. H. Naqvi, et al., Steroids, 18:731, 1971.
The p-sulfonamidoaminopropiophenones useful in the present invention are generically disclosed by A. A. Larsen, et al., U. S. Pat. No. 3,341,584. It was not recognized, however, until the present discovery that some of the p-sulfonamidoaminopropiophenones of the class disclosed by Larsen, et al. are effective interceptive agents.